Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Lineups – Confirmed XI & Guide

The lineups for Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund have varied across recent high-stakes encounters, from the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley to a 3-2 Club World Cup meeting in July 2025. This guide provides confirmed starting XIs, formations, and key statistical context for each match.

Today’s Lineup
Real Madrid 4-1-2-1-2 vs Dortmund 3-4-2-1

UCL Final (2-0)
Real Madrid 4-3-3 / 4-3-1-2 hybrid vs Dortmund 4-3-3 (2024)

5-2 Thriller
Real Madrid 4-3-3 vs Dortmund 4-2-3-1 (2023)

Head-to-Head Stats
Real Madrid 6 wins, Dortmund 3 wins, 5 draws in 14 meetings

Key insights from the lineups across these matches include:

Real Madrid have used either a 4-3-3 or a 4-1-2-1-2 shape in recent encounters.
Dortmund have alternated between 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, and 3-4-2-1 formations depending on the match.
Jude Bellingham has featured in both sides, scoring twice against his former club in the 5-2 win and adding a goal in the UCL final.
Defensive personnel for Madrid have remained relatively stable, with Antonio Rüdiger starting in all three highlighted meetings.
No major injury absences affected the starting XIs in the last two competitive games.

Match Date	Competition	Final Score	Real Madrid XI	Borussia Dortmund XI	Goal Scorers
2025-07-05	Club World Cup	3-2	Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Fran García; Tchouaméni; Valverde, Güler; Bellingham; Gonzalo García, Vinícius Jr	Kobel; Süle, Anton, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Sabitzer, Groß, Svensson; Brandt, Adeyemi; Guirassy	Not yet confirmed
2024-06-01	UCL Final	2-0	Courtois; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr	Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Can, Sabitzer; Sancho, Brandt, Adeyemi; Füllkrug	Dani Carvajal, Vinícius Jr
2023-10-22	UCL Group Stage	5-2	Kepa; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Kroos; Bellingham; Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo	Kobel; Wolf, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Özcan, Sabitzer; Malen, Reus, Bynoe-Gittens; Füllkrug	Bellingham (2), Vinícius Jr (2), Rodrygo / Füllkrug, Malen
2017-12-06	UCL Group Stage	3-2 (Madrid home)	Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos; Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo	Bürki; Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Toljan; Weigl, Götze; Yarmolenko, Kagawa, Pulisic; Aubameyang	Ronaldo (2), Vázquez / Aubameyang (2)
2017-09-26	UCL Group Stage	3-1 (Madrid away)	Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos; Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo	Bürki; Piszczek, Sokratis, Bartra, Zagadou; Şahin, Götze; Pulisic, Yarmolenko, Philipp; Aubameyang	Ronaldo (2), Bale / Aubameyang
Overall (14 meetings)	All competitions	Real Madrid 6W, Dortmund 3W, 5D	—	—	—

What Was the Lineup for Real Madrid vs Dortmund in the UCL Final? (2-0 Lineup)

The 2024 Champions League final at Wembley saw Real Madrid defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 with second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior. The confirmed starting XIs were published by Real Madrid’s official site and UEFA.

Real Madrid Starting XI (4-3-1-2 / 4-3-3 hybrid)

Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Nacho, Ferland Mendy; Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos; Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior.

Borussia Dortmund Starting XI (4-3-3)

Gregor Kobel; Julian Ryerson, Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ian Maatsen; Emre Can, Marcel Sabitzer, Julian Brandt; Jadon Sancho, Karim Adeyemi, Niclas Füllkrug.

Substitution note

Dortmund made two substitutions: Karim Adeyemi was replaced by Marco Reus, and Jadon Sancho was replaced by Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. Neither side made changes at half-time.

The match was the first Champions League final between the two clubs and their first European meeting since the 2017–18 group stage, when Real Madrid won 3-1 away and 3-2 at home. According to UEFA’s official lineup page, the 0-2 final lineups are fully documented here.

What Were the Lineups for Real Madrid vs Dortmund 5-2? (High-Scoring Encounter)

In the 2023–24 UCL group stage, Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 5-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The match is memorable for Jude Bellingham’s two goals against his former club.

Real Madrid Starting XI (4-3-3)

Kepa Arrizabalaga; Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy; Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Toni Kroos; Jude Bellingham; Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo.

Borussia Dortmund Starting XI (4-2-3-1)

Gregor Kobel; Marius Wolf, Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ramy Bensebaini; Salih Özcan, Marcel Sabitzer; Donyell Malen, Marco Reus, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens; Niclas Füllkrug.

Goal breakdown

Jude Bellingham (2), Vinícius Júnior (2), and Rodrygo scored for Real Madrid. Niclas Füllkrug and Donyell Malen replied for Dortmund. The 5-2 scoreline remains one of the highest-scoring matches between the sides in the UEFA Champions League.

UEFA’s lineup archive confirms this match and provides the official team sheets at this page.

Key Stats & Insights from Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Lineups

Comparing the lineups across multiple matches reveals tactical patterns and personnel consistency. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has shown flexibility between a 4-3-3 and a diamond midfield, while Dortmund have switched between back-four and back-three setups.

Formation shifts

In the 5-2 group stage match, Madrid used a classic 4-3-3 with Vinícius and Rodrygo wide. For the UCL final, the shape was more of a 4-3-1-2 with Bellingham playing behind the front two. Dortmund, under Edin Terzić, employed a 4-2-3-1 in the group stage but switched to a 4-3-3 for the final.

Uncertainty note

The lineup for the 2025 Club World Cup match (3-2) is confirmed by Fotmob and Sky Sports, but the exact timing of substitutions and injury absences before kick-off are not fully detailed in public match reports. The formation listed for Dortmund (3-4-2-1) differs from their previous structures.

A key narrative is Jude Bellingham’s presence: he started for Dortmund in the 2023 group stage match? No – by then he had moved to Madrid. He did, however, face his former club and scored twice. His goal in the 2024 final made him the first player to score for a club against a former side in a Champions League final.

Timeline of Key Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Encounters

2017-09-26: UCL Group Stage – Real Madrid 3-1 Borussia Dortmund (away). Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice.
2017-12-06: UCL Group Stage – Real Madrid 3-2 Borussia Dortmund (home). Aubameyang scored twice for Dortmund.
2023-10-22: UCL Group Stage – Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham stars against former club.
2024-06-01: UCL Final – Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Real Madrid. Carvajal and Vinícius Jr score.
2025-07-05: Club World Cup – Real Madrid 3-2 Borussia Dortmund. Lineup features new signings Alexander-Arnold and Huijsen.

Which Lineups Are Confirmed and Which Remain Uncertain?

Established information	Information that remains unclear
The UCL final lineups are confirmed by multiple official sources: UEFA, Real Madrid, ESPN, and Wikipedia.	For the 2025 Club World Cup match, the exact substitution timeline and any pre-match injury withdrawals are not publicly detailed.
The 5-2 group stage lineups are verified by UEFA’s website and broadcasters.	No disputes exist regarding the 5-2 match lineups; all sources agree.
Overall head-to-head record (14 meetings) is documented by UEFA and Wikipedia.	The specific formation used by Dortmund in the 2025 match (3-4-2-1) is based on one match centre; other sources might show slight variations.

What Do the Lineup Comparisons Reveal?

The 5-2 match exposed defensive vulnerabilities in Dortmund’s back line when facing Madrid’s pace on the counter. The UCL final, by contrast, highlighted Madrid’s defensive solidity: Thibaut Courtois returned from injury and kept a clean sheet. Dortmund created chances but could not convert.

Bellingham’s role evolved between the two matches. In the group stage he operated as an advanced midfielder in a 4-3-3; in the final he was used as a second striker in a 4-3-1-2. This flexibility under Ancelotti has been a defining feature of Madrid’s European campaigns.

For Dortmund, the departure of Jude Bellingham and the retention of players like Brandt and Sabitzer meant the midfield looked different by the final, with Emre Can anchoring a more defensive setup.

Where Can I Verify These Lineups?

The lineups and match data presented here come from official and reputable sources:

“Once inicial del Real Madrid contra el Borussia Dortmund” – Real Madrid official site, confirming the starting XI for the 2024 final.

– realmadrid.com

ESPN’s match page provides the confirmed lineups and goal scorers for the 2024 final.

– ESPN

Additional verification is available through BBC live text commentary and the Fotmob match centre with formation graphics.

What Is the Overall Picture of Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Lineups?

The lineups from Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund encounters tell a story of tactical evolution, key individual performances, and a rivalry that continues to develop. Real Madrid have dominated the head-to-head record, winning six of 14 meetings, but Dortmund have shown they can compete, especially at home. Jude Bellingham’s switch between the clubs adds a unique personal dimension to the matchup. For consistent updates on other match lineups, check the Liverpool Line Up Today – Confirmed XI and Team News Guide and the Man Utd vs Tottenham – Tickets, Lineups, Stats and Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Real Madrid vs Dortmund Lineups

Who scored for Real Madrid in the UCL final vs Dortmund?

Dani Carvajal (74′) and Vinícius Júnior (83′) scored in the 2-0 win.

What formation did Dortmund use in the 5-2 loss?

Dortmund used a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Did Jude Bellingham play for Dortmund against Real Madrid in 2023?

No, Bellingham played for Real Madrid. He scored twice against his former club.

Is the Club World Cup lineup official?

Yes, the lineup from 2025-07-05 has been confirmed by Sky Sports and Fotmob.

How many times have Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund met in European competitions?

They have met 14 times before the 2024 final. Real Madrid have won 6, Dortmund 3, and 5 ended in draws.

Who was the goalkeeper for Dortmund in the 2024 UCL final?

Gregor Kobel started in goal for Borussia Dortmund.

What was the score in the 2017–18 group stage matches?

Real Madrid won 3-1 away and 3-2 at home.

Did any players feature in both the 5-2 and 2-0 matches?

Yes: Antonio Rüdiger, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, and several Dortmund players like Kobel, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, and Sabitzer appeared in both.